


#BringBackCharlie

by keepcalmanddonotblink



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bring Back Charlie, Bring Back Kevin, Charlie Lives, Charlie is god, Gen, I fixed it for you, Spoiler for 10x21, and while we are at it, personal headcanon, probably a little destiel-ish, set in the end of supernatural
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 14:10:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3899230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keepcalmanddonotblink/pseuds/keepcalmanddonotblink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All seems lost, when suddenly Charlie reappears. Team Free Will demands answers and Charlie tells them (almost) everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	#BringBackCharlie

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of kudos to [MashiarasDream](http://archiveofourown.org/users/MashiarasDream/pseuds/MashiarasDream) for betareading and her very usefull guidance.

_We are in the middle of the finale showdown, we all know: This is it. Dean and Sam and Cas are fighting together, still. They are injured and hurt and there is no chance for them to win this fight. They know that. WE know that._  
But right in the moment when everything seems lost a stranger appears, seemingly out of nowhere, saving the day. They hide their face behind a hood.  
Dean, Cas and Sam are puzzled. This is where this story starts: 

"Who the hell are you?", Dean asks not letting his guard down.  
"I save you and that is all you have to say?", a familiar voice asks.  
"Wait... I know that voice...," Sam comments and finally the stranger reveals herself. "Surprise, bitches!" It's to all of their surprise Charlie.  
"That can't be!", Sam says disbelievingly.  
"You are dead! We burned you!", Dean shouts. Charlie nods slowly: "You did. It's nice to see you too, by the way."

" _What_ are you?", Dean growls now, getting angry, and Charlie smiles. She takes a step toward Cas but Dean shields him instinctively.  
"Don't worry, Dean. I just wanted to give back something... but on the other hand, it belongs to you anyway," with that Charlie hands Dean an amulet. Dean recognizes it right away, it's the one Sammy got him a long time ago. It's the one Cas used trying to find God. Dean's eyes widen as he realizes that it's hot. He shoots a look at Cas and Sam and looks back to Charlie. 

"You are... you are _GOD_?", Dean finally gets out. "What?", Sam and Cas ask at the same time. "Give me that!", Cas demands and Dean hands the amulet over. 

"It is hot. It's actually hot. But... how... why...", Cas says and Charlie smiles fondly. "Cas. Dean. Sam. I think I owe you an explanation," she finally says and Dean remarks: "Quite right you do!" 

"Dean," Sam interrupts now: "Look, Charlie... or God?... You have to understand that we are very puzzled. I mean... you have been here _all_ the time?"  
"I have. Even way back, when I was Chuck, I always watched over you," Charlie answers and Sam takes a step back: "Chuck?? You... you were here... and you.. you did _nothing_?" 

"Why did you never say a thing?", Cas adds. Charlie sighs: "I... I did something, helped you in little ways. As much as I could." 

"Bull!", Dean shouts now. “Come on, Dean. Book of the Damned, remember? I even decoded it for you!”, Charlie replies but Dean isn’t finished yet: "Okay, yes. You did that. But where were you when Ellen died? When Jo died? Or Bobby and.. and Kevin? Where were you when the world was almost on the brink to the end of days?" "I was there too, Dean. I saw it all. And sometimes I wished I could do more." 

"I still don't get it," Sam says now: "I was in the cage, I was soulless.. all those times... you were there?" "Sam... I am sorry,” Charlie apologies. “That's not going to cut it, because I don't understand it. It's just... cruel!”, Sam refuses to accept it.

”Look... You three of all people should understand," Charlie answers calmly: "It is and always has been about Free Will. I let you make your own choices, choose your own destiny. Wasn't it you, Dean, who wanted to screw destiny, 'God's plan'? Wasn't it you, Castiel, who rebelled for freedom, for peace. Wasn't it your choice, Sam, to save the world, to fight for what is right?" 

"That's not what I asked for, what we asked for, Charlie. All those people dying, all this loss and hurt," Dean shouts and Charlie looks at him sadly: "I am sorry, Dean." 

"I understand, Father.. Mother?", Cas says, touching Dean on his shoulder carefully to calm him down. Dean understands, anger won't get him anywhere, but he can't help himself. Though the touch helps a little. "You do?" Dean asks surprised. 

"Call me Charlie, I have grown fond of this name," Charlie says smiling proudly. 

"Yes, Dean, I do. It's all about freedom. Right from the beginning. From the moment Eve chose to be free, to live her own life outside of the garden. She might have done it without really acknowledging it, but it was a choice. It always has been about choices. About finding our own fate. Look at us, after all, we did the unthinkable. In the end, we saved the world over and over again, because we made a choice. And it was our own. It was not the choice of God, it was humanity's choice." 

Dean shakes his head but before he can object to anything, Sam raises his voice: "I still don't get the whole picture. Our own choices, right, but why did you make us believe that you are dead... as Charlie." 

Charlie takes a deep breath. "Sam. I never wanted to hurt you. Or any of you. But I realized that I was loving you too much. I mean, I love every human being despite all of their mistakes and flaws. I can see in their heart and in each and everyone is a part of me. Even in the most wicked one, I am there. I wonder what that says about me... anyway, I realized that I would not be able to let you make your choices if I stick longer around, that I'd jeopardize your free will. And maybe I was afraid. You three are so human in so many ways, even you, Cas. And I was afraid I would destroy everything. Again." 

"I cried over your death, Charlie! I did unspeakable things because I thought we lost you. It hurt like losing family... I...," Dean stops himself and runs his hand over his face. He takes a deep breath before he finally says: "I missed you."

"But Dean, I was there. I even cried when I saw your grief. It was like when you play Shadows of Colossus and you ride through this lonesome fields and you suddenly have this profound feeling of loneliness, that’s how I felt watching you. But in the end, it turned out to be alright. You did well, even when you made mistakes. And I am here now. Actually here. That has to count for something?", Charlie says. 

"That brings me to another question: _Why_ are you here?", Sam asks now and Dean nods. Charlie grins wide: "Because of you. All of you. Because in the end I couldn't watch you die. Not here. Not like this. I was not ready for this story to end and I probably never will be. I made the exception I promised myself to never make. It seems to me I _do_ love you three too much and that I do a lot for you."

"Charlie..," Dean starts again but suddenly he is at a loss for words. He wants to say so many things and doesn't know how. 

"I know, Dean. I know everything. I see inside you. I see what I have done. To all of you. To mankind, to heaven and even to hell," Charlie sighs and continues: "I left you behind, thought that everything will be alright, that my creation was protected, was _fine_. When I realized that I was wrong, it almost was too late. But you three did it, you did what I couldn't do. I depended on you and trusted you and it turned out I was right doing so." 

"But why did you never say anything to me?", Cas asks: "I was looking for you, everywhere and now you tell me that you were there right in front of me and I never knew." 

"Cas, I can only repeat myself. I am sorry. I didn't want to be found. Not as Chuck and not as Charlie. Even if you had found me, what would you have wanted me to do? Give the angels a lecture? As if they have ever really listened to me! Fight Michael and Lucifer? That is something I just couldn't do, won't ever be able to. After all, they are my children too. Maybe my heart is too soft, but I never blamed Lucifer or Michael or any of the angels for what they did. They are my creations, I made them how they are. They are like little spoiled children and it's my fault. It was my responsibility and I made so many mistakes. I can't ever make that right.”

“It would have helped to know that you are still there,” Cas answers quietly. “I know that now. That's why am I here now. Castiel, you were always different, you always _cared_. You understood it, all of it, always better than I did,” Charlie says fondly. 

“Is that why are you here now? To make it right?”, Sam wants to know and Charlie smiles. “I would like to think that,” she says and in the next second all three of them are suddenly back in the bunker.

“Woah!”, Dean comments and looks around confused. They are in the library and Dean senses that something is different, but he can’t lay a finger on it. “First, I saved you, that’s something that I was not supposed to do. On the other hand, I also saved Castiel a few times when I shouldn't have been doing it,” Charlie explains. 

“It wasn’t a punishment?” Cas asks surprised. 

“Why would you think that?”, Charlie asks back with true hurt in her voice: “I never wanted to punish you. Or your siblings. I made mistakes. A lot of them. When I was younger, I was always so angry. Even jealous. I caused a lot of pain, once I even sent a flood, just because my creation was not the way I wanted them to be. But it was also than that I realized the main point in creation: To set it free. And I decided not to interfere with it again. But you know how well that turned out, don’t you?” Charlie sighs

“It turned out pretty bad, if you ask me,” Dean comments dryly. “Look at your arm,” Charlie commands and Dean does it. To his wonder the scar there is gone, the scar he had since the Mark of Cain is gone. “What did you do?”, Dean asks surprised and taken back. 

“I may have altered a few things,” Charlie answers with a smirk. “What things?”, Sam wants to know. “For starters I am fixing my mess on Earth, that means that I made for example one little changes,  that might be interesting for you. There was a ghost still on earth, who is now alive again and his name is Kevin Tran. After all he is a prophet of the lord. I might need him sometimes,” Charlie says. “You are kidding,” Sam shouts out and Dean adds: “You just can’t be serious.” 

“I am,” Charlie says with a laugh: “Since I was already changing things, I thought I could do that for you. I couldn’t bring everyone back, as much as I would loved that, some things are just not meant to be, but at least adorable little Kevin, that much I _could_ do.” 

“That’s… that’s great anyway. I mean, wow… thank you!”, Sam says gratefully. “What he said,” Dean adds. 

“I can promise you another thing and that’s you will have peace as soon as I am gone… well, technically I will never be gone entirely from now on, but when I am out of the bunker,” Charlie smirks and Dean shakes his head: “Kansas? Really?” “I just had to. But I mean it. You will have peace from now on. No more fighting, I will make sure of it,” Charlie answers.

“That is good, I guess,” Sam states and smiles.

“Of course there is also the thing with hell. Selling souls is a little cheap, isn’t it? There are no shortcuts in real life, or at least there shouldn’t be. Real life is more Dark Souls than Kirby,” Charlie says now and Dean frowns: “Dark Souls? That game _is_ like hell. I hope real life is _not_ at all like it.” 

“Okay, okay, you got a point, Dean. Real life is more like Super Mario then? You try and try again and eventually you get it done?”, Charlie answers and Sam laughs: “Sorry, but your metaphors suck.” 

“Yeah… whatever. What I try to say is that I will change hell itself, too. Eternal perdition is a very harsh punishment for sins in your little human life, don’t you think? If you truly have redeemed yourself, you shouldn’t be punished anymore. That is something you guys reminded me of. That there is forgiveness. No soul should be twisted to the point where nothing human is in it anymore. All demons shall be rest, I will purify them and they shall be reborn.”

“So you are actually changing a lot of stuff…,” Dean comments and Sam nods.

“What is with me? With heaven?”, Castiel wants to know now and Charlie regards him. “You? Well, Cas, if you want to, you can come with me to heaven and try to teach the angels how important humans are, how important the little things are, be like the great Yoda, or…,” Charlie stops and shoots Dean a look before she continues: “Or you can stay here, on Earth. Live among the humans, if you want, you can even be human again. It’s your choice, your choice alone. You have sacrificed enough.”

There is a moment of silence. Cas looks at Charlie, then he turns his head to Sam and moves on to Dean. They stare at each other like they did so many times, then Cas turns back to Charlie and says with determination: “I would like to stay with humanity.”

“Then so it shall be,” Charlie nods. “Are you sure?”, Dean asks and Cas nods: “I am. I want to be a human, I want to live with you - and Sam. You are my family now.” “Cas…,” Dean is speechless but Sam comes to his aid: “You have been always family, so we are glad to have you anytime.” 

“You shall be human as your heart desires,” Charlie says and nods. Nothing really changes for a moment but then there is something in the air, as if something heavy is happening, a feeling so intense that it makes it hard to breathe. It is gone as fast as it has come. “It is done,” Charlie states and Cas looks at his hand, as if there was something to see. He opens and closes it and smiles: “Thank you, Charlie.”

“You are welcome. Now, I must go, I have spent too much time here already. You three will be alright,” Charlie says softly. “Don’t you cry no more, huh?” Dean asks and Charlie nods: “Exactly. It was nice to know you, bitches.” “You too, I guess?”, Sam answers and they all smile at each other. 

“Have a good rest of your life,” Charlie says and with that she vanishes in the air and leaves the three behind. They look at each other and smile. “I guess we did it, after all,” Sam finally states. “Yes, we did it,” Cas agrees and Dean nods: “This is it, Team Free Will! And we are still here, still kicking.” 

With that the three fall into each others arms and hug each other. Because in the end all that mattered was family. And a family they were, a little broken, small, but still a family. Together they had fought for what they thought was right, for their own decisions, to save other people, for free will. They always kept fighting and deep down they knew, that Charlie would be there with them forever, until the end of their days.


End file.
